Sunday, July 26, 2009

Dear Zachary

The documentary Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father chronicles filmmaker Kurt Kuenne's cross-country quest to capture memories of his childhood friend, Andrew Bagby, brutally slain at age 28 by his ex-girlfriend. What ensues is a frustrating and devastating account not only of Bagby's life, but also of the life of his son Zachary (born after Andrew's death) and the fight Andrew's parents embarked on in order to gain custody of Zachary, who remained in the care of his mother/Andrew's murderer. Although the events in the documentary were widely reported when they happened, Dear Zachary is slow to reveal the complete tragedy surrounding Andrew and Zachary Bagby. The result is a crushing narrative of the father Zachary would never know and the legal system that failed them both.

2 comments:

I remember reading recently a warning that anyone who sees a child with someone that makes them feel uncomfortable - if they even suspect foul play - they should call the police just to be sure. It is so profoundly sad that the authorities let the sick-in-the-head woman have custody of the child. We all need to be more aware. The people who make decisions need to be more aware - and cautious - and not let troubled people keep their kids. Nothing else to say. The judge who let that woman out of prison is responsible.